Pineapple Ham Glaze

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/3/21
pineapple glaze recipe

The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

Prep: 0 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 12 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cup
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
654 Calories
0g Fat
167g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 654
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 43mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 167g 61%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 158g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 110mg 548%
Calcium 149mg 11%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 513mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Making a glaze for your favorite pineapple baked ham is so quick and easy. The glaze should reflect the ingredients used to cook the ham, and, so here, it is pineapple juice with the lovely flavor of star anise. And, for sweetness and ultimate stickiness, the soft brown sugar. Just three ingredients, but they pack a punch in taste.

Making the glaze from scratch is seriously easy; three ingredients and a few minutes of your time are all it takes. Plus, you also know each ingredient that is in the glaze, so there are no nasty additives or preservatives, reflecting well in the clean flavor on the finished ham. The glaze does not need any thickener either, just a gentle boil, and as the glaze reduces, it thickens.

Once the ham has gone through its initial cooking and ready to be finished in the oven is when the glaze should be added. You will paint the fat on the top of the ham with the glaze a few times before pulling it from the oven.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Gather the ingredients for pineapple glaze

    The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

  2. Put the pineapple juice and star anise into a saucepan. Place over medium heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, to give the star anise a chance to infuse into the juice.

    simmer pineapple glaze

    The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

  3. Add the brown sugar to the saucepan again over medium heat and stir gently until the sugar has completely dissolved. Raise the heat and allow the syrup to boil until it turns golden brown and reduces by two-thirds, and becomes a thick sticky glaze—this will take 6 to 7 minutes. Once ready, remove from the heat immediately and keep to one side to cool a little before using.

    pineapple glaze reduced

    Elaine Lemm

Using the Glaze

Use the glaze on your favorite baked ham by painting the fat with the glaze and follow the instructions in your recipe. Some will call for you to baste from time to time, but be careful not to add too much, or it can become too sweet, and overpower the lovely taste of the ham.

Change the Glaze

Feel free to add a few different ingredients for a little variety. Try adding a teaspoon or two of soy sauce to the glaze while it is cooling for an added boost of salt and umami. Or, sprinkle over a light dusting of chili flakes once the ham comes out of the oven but do this very sparingly to avoid making the ham glaze too hot, you want just a little prickle of heat, no more.